Shattered Illusions
by TheGiftOfHeavenSun
Summary: No matter how similar her outer appearance is, she is not her... ToumaxMisakaImouto...


**_This story... I made it... and somehow, I felt like I have read something similar to this at school, but I forgot:( Be fine with it, will you? (It's an original story, you can be sure of it!)  
><em>**

**_This is also an apology for me for not making any Imouto's appearance in Angel of Thunder up to now._**

**_Oh yeah, I made four stories for Touma with four different girls. ToumaxMikoto (Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star), ToumaxSaten (The Hero of the World) and ToumaxImouto (Shattered Illusion). The last one is ToumaxItsuwa, but until now, no idea. Please give me some :)_**

**_For readers to know, my specialty is ToumaxMikoto, so for the other are more like character study:D_**

**_Warning: Character is dead._**

Shattered Illusion

Kamijou Touma met Misaka Imouto (series number 10032) at one corner of district 7.

He swore that breath left his lungs once he saw her face.

(It was, just like Kamijou Touma reflected later, the beginning of the broken relationship)

* * *

><p>Misaka Imouto number 10032 was not Misaka Mikoto, clearly explained by the military binoculars that she always wore, and for that, Kamijou Touma convinced himself that it was not a hallucination or a vivid delusion.<p>

(and also, Misaka Mikoto could never be this quiet, even though Misaka Imouto number 10032 was her clone; a trace of mark that she left before she was gone, and it was also, an irony)

Indeed, it was not the first time the spiky haired boy saw her face. It was an ordinary, and also, a usual occurence for the two of them to meet each other. Moreover, Academy City was not a large space, so for the two individuals to cross path each other was not a surprise. But still, it was the first time she saw her with other perspective, or maybe, it was because of the tingling feeling that he lost when the time was not enough for him. Of everything that he could feel, he didn't understand.

She had known him well too, not only from the unveiled urban legend of a man whose ability was to erase other's ability. It was her own being that still burdened something on his shoulders up to now, and regarding that, Kamijou Touma never regretted. She was the one that he had saved from other incident that influenced her lifeline, and also, it was him who became her love secret. This time appeared to be different nonetheless, as Kamijou Touma saw her more differently.

Through the confidential chatting and flexible manner of both of them, he found out that for a fraction of second that had been given, he could see a blurry image of Misaka Mikoto behind the emotionless eyes of Misaka Imouto, being so proud and so afraid because of another delusion that was shattered along the fading image of hers around another strolling wind.

"Yeah, I'm also fully sad for that too, Misaka tried to show her utmost feeling of grief," she said that with her usual antique; crimson twilight became the only background of both of them regarding the painting of the world. "But it was the past. Onee-sama wants us to see the future too, Misaka tried to give a sincere opinion regarding the situation."

"Beat that," he replied heavily, trying to give more farfecthed answer that he couldn't give to the said girl. "Let's get something to eat though. I'm starving."

(Past was something solid, present was something changeable, and future was yours to be predicted, or others to be unknown, wrapped tightly around each townspeople, grasping dream stronger than life itself)

* * *

><p>It was her who convinced him to take another stroll around the outskirt of Academy City. Kamijou Touma didn't mind though, it was him, and always be him, and he would never decline a friend's offer.<p>

Still, even though it was just a little walk and window-shopping, he didn't really know the meaning of another deep gaze that he always gave when she was near him, and he also found himself ignoring the continous ringing phone that only the screen which knew the caller. He was just there, too drained by the sight of Misaka Imouto who walked with him.

(And for that, he allowed himself to be trapped in another circle that he didn't really want to escape from.)

* * *

><p>Kamijou Touma found himself accompanying Misaka Imouto again for a hundreth time this week, and for every other reason that still befell his fragile shoulders, he didn't understand the meaning of accidental meeting. Still though, each meeting was another memory of him, something that he put inside his heart, even though it was branched entirely to her and to another girl who shared the same appearance with her.<p>

The feeling couldn't be described as comfortable or so, because it was only her emotionless eyes that he always caught staring at, and no matter any crossing paths that had been done, he found himself sinking in that eternal spheres. It was indeed another memento; a hazel eyes that observed the perimeter with such brilliance, it was also the thing that differentiated the way they looked at each other.

(He found himself comfortable seeing the forgotten eyes for a moment, even though that thought was dismissed when the truth arrived)

For any other thoughts regarding the similarity, they were all dismissed when Misaka Imouto showed the pendant that Kamijou Touma bought for her; memory began filling the thought of hers as each surface of the pendant gave another span of seconds to remember more. Still, around the walking pedestrians and a fraction of attention that Touma gave to the said pendant, the jewelry still reflected the portion of sun as it blinded their eyes.

"Ah, you are still keeping that merchandise, aren't you?" Touma said.

"Yeah," Misaka Imouto looked at her with another flat figure around the strolling wave of people. "You said that this could distinguish me and..."

Kamijou Touma left that speech as he changed it with another topic, trying not to remember the name that he wanted to hear and for the last thing he really wanted to think about, he was sad.

(and still, he didn't understand anything, whether it was just a little loss or another curse of being bound)

* * *

><p>Misaka Imouto munched silently as she enjoyed any fragments of delicacy from the sandwich that the spiky haired boy had bought for her before. Her hazel eyes rolled in unimaginable speed as she observed the movement of Touma's hand over the chess board. The said spiky haired boy appeared to be so reluctant in moving the pawns that danced frantically in his point of view. He just took his hand back once it was shot to take a pawn, and it had been the seventh time the boy did the same thing.<p>

The particular pattern ended when he chose to take his bishop, and moved it silently to threaten Imouto's knight. It was not a bad move, even though he let his left side opened for her to attack from any directions. Misaka Imouto sighed as she moved her queen to the gap and with that, Touma frowned until he found his mistake, finding himself in the usual pattern that would never leave his side. His sandwich was forgotten for his attention was not given to it, just watching the board as its lifeless being continued its vigil.

He didn't appear to give up in a minute, just until Misaka Imouto saw a whimsical smile that decorated his face; and for everything that Misaka Imouto could conclude: he was lost, and he didn't know what to do. He just moved another pawn nonchalantly, not knowing whether he would win or lose.

(Still, it was also supported by his timeless existence as an idiot)

"You need more training in playing this game, Misaka suggested as Misaka took the sandwich," Kamijou Touma looked up to her, and for that, every thought about the board game and the confusing pawns had changed into the sight of an eating girl who looked at him with an emotioless expression. "Misaka is quite confident in winning, Misaka said through her munches towards the sandwich."

Kamijou Touma sighed. His eyes rolled, travelling from the board game into the bench of the park that they used for a while as a table whilst the pawns on the board were moved to threaten each other. The pawns stared at them with blank draft, looking at them with their lifeless existences as the cold strolling wind began blowing from the southeast. The temperature was somehow cool; a sign of the upcoming snow and a good example of early winter. Yeah, it was the autumn to be forgotten and the winter to be remembered, and even though the spiky haired guy really wanted it, the spring appeared to be late to take its spotlight.

(And somehow, he felt that his only spring had really left, leaving the chill of winter without any protection)

The corner of his eyes took a glimpse of sauce or mustard that decorated Imouto's nose; hazel eyes still looked at the board blankly that showed her unknown knowledge regarding the whereabout of the colloid. He sighed; mind explored its drawers of memory that he imagined, taking a handkerchief from his pocket as he began moving closer to Imouto's face, creating a proximity, and somehow, he hoped to find a crimson color of blush that Misaka Mikoto would have.

She remained the blank hue, stained by a color that he was too blind to see.

"Checkmate, Misaka exclaimed cheerfully," she said afterwards, observing brightly that she had won as she moved another pawn to a critical position that trapped Touma's king.

Kamijou Touma could hear the shattering sound of broken illusion or imagination, and for that, he was saddened even more.

(He could see Imouto's frowned face though, and it appeared that she began to understand)

* * *

><p>"Huh? You said that you saw a weird girl?"<p>

"Yeah, Misaka answered fast. Misaka saw three girls who saw Misaka as though they were seeing a ghost, Misaka emphasized her previous statement," she said emotionlessly.

"What did they look like?" Touma inquired.

"One of them had long twin pigtails, the other had a black silky hair, and the last had a flower ribbon plastered on her head. They looked at Misaka with dilating pupils and scared expression, and the flower-ribbon girl appeared to be in the verge of crying, Misaka tried to describe the girls that had been asked previously. Do you know who the girls are? Misaka inquired."

It wasn't hard for him to recognize the first girl that Misaka Imouto serial number 10032 was talking about, and indeed, he had a high probability of being right, for there were no any civilians in Academy City that still set their hair into twin pigtails, and what Touma observed until now, she was the only one. She was a certain roommate of a hazel haired girl.

"Who knows?" Touma answered nonchalantly.

* * *

><p>The weather was getting cold; horribly windy and unimaginably cold. The peripheral sight could only be covered by flying leaves and the visible stream of winds whilst the pedestrians walked nonchalantly; flat expressions showed their ignorance towards the respective weather. Indeed, their walk was detained by the howling wind that didn't support their influx on the pavement. Winter, no matter it was the early or the late one, no matter it was colorful or white, would always be windy and chilly, and perhaps everyone had been used to the situation.<p>

As the proof of the usual, yet habitual pattern that Misaka Imouto wondered why she kept herself in that circle, her silhouette could be seen in one side of the park of District 7. She was kneeling, ignoring the chill that was increased through the additional contact as she stretched her palm towards the black kitten; a creature which was oh so fluffy, small, and cute, who licked the food on her hand blissfully. Each lick was followed by mewing sound of the cat, purred slightly, being grateful for the existence of Misaka Imouto. Indeed, the cat was the first being that respected her whereabouts.

And the wind just continued its torment, bickering slightly about the current, until it managed to flutter the hazel hair of the girl slightly, giving more attack to the coat which covered her beige Tokiwadai Middle School uniform. Her mind wandered as she looked at the sparkling orbs of the kittens, which stared at her with innocent look that made her realized that the cat was also, another memento. It was the memento of two girls who were no longer here, who inherited their emotion and a fraction of ability to her. It was another memory, and at that moment, somehow all parts of her brain formed a different image: an image of a spiky haired guy.

It was no longer an image of affection or love, just like what Misaka Imouto had imagined since the first time that tingling feeling started overwhelming her objection in action, but rather, it was an image of several unknown reasons, something that popped up in her mind for only God knew why. Misaka Imouto indeed cherished the time that she had with him in recent days, but, no matter how naïve or how emotionless she was, she was still, a human, and she could know that the way he looked her was far different than usual. It was not a good sign or anything, because it was not a softened expression that she really wanted to see, but rather, a mellow expression; looking at her with such profound that Misaka wondered who the spiky haired guy was.

Another image was formed as the other one was sunk to her deep thought; it was an image of a girl who had the same face with her.

Or rather, a girl whose face Misaka Imouto had stolen.

But still, she didn't understand about everything so much, the reason why the boy looked at her and why the images were formed perpetually. It was not just an ordinary her, and it was not particular for her. What she really hoped at that moment was just for the spiky haired guy to show up and explain her anything.

She lifted the black cat in such gentleness that made even the creature nuzzled its nose to her no matter how risky for it to be shocked by the continuous wave of electricity that she unconsciously released. She looked at the cloudy sky above and began walking to another direction. Her figure was fully disappeared eventually on that horizon as she left the scene.

(In his apartment, Kamijou Touma sneezed violently.)

* * *

><p>The two individuals met each other (again) in the Underground Mall.<p>

It was yet, another accidental meeting that made him suspicious of the existence of destiny, which were trying to toy with their life. It didn't mean that he hated Misaka Imouto or something; it was just awkward for him to meet her again and again.

They were sitting on the bench that the mall had provided, watching the walking figure of the customers as they made their way into their respective destinations. Touma looked at them with a bored expression, fully defeating the blank look that was eternally implanted on Misaka Imouto number 10032's face. They lapsed into silence; minds wandered and were branched into every corner as though they didn't realize the similar being next to each other.

"Do I really look like onee-sama? Misaka inquired."

That sudden question was followed by the proximity that was formed by Misaka Imouto, as she gave all of her attentions to the individual beside her, who looked at her with a silent look, until he sighed heavily. Kamijou Touma laughed at her in his mind for the delay to realize the horrible connection of the girls.

"Yeah, I couldn't even differentiate," Touma said; eyes stared deeply into the hollow crevice on the floor, because he didn't really know what else he could see. "The only one that could distinguish you two is just the difference of eyes, or in sudden occasion, binoculars and jewelry that I bought for you," he continued ironically.

Misaka Imouto nodded.

She slowly reached his hand, moving it to make a contact with Touma Touma, holding his wrist whilst another hand wrapped itself on his arm. She didn't have dainty hands that could barely cover his but he sort of like it, anyway.

"I miss her," Kamijou Touma eventually said even though the words appeared to be foreign for him, and it was indeed, the first time he felt and said it. "I really do."

She trailed off; muscles began becoming too weak to move as she let her weight on Touma's arm and shoulder. Touma looked at her with softened eyes as suddenly, what he saw was no longer Misaka Imouto, but rather, Misaka Mikoto with reddened eyes and her usual fragrance was smelled. Kamijou Touma thought that he had gone insane.

"I'm not Onee-sama, Misaka showed the truth. I'm not a replacement, Kamijou Touma," she said slowly, as though she was trying to teach a toddler to speak. The spiky haired boy could feel that his words were left unsaid, and he was not surprised that her eyes didn't leave his.

(It was also, the first time she called his full name)

Kamijou Touma realized that their voice were also different, much different with the way Misaka Mikoto spoke (screeched) to him. She sounded more like she was on the edge of the cliff, one foot dangled off and her lifeline was a stupefied guy seeing a dead person in the living.

The spiky haired boy was not in love; not with Misaka Mikoto, not with Misaka Imouto. Nevertheless, Kamijou Touma was a hero, and would always be, so he just said "I know" and Misaka Imouto (serial number 10032) smiled.


End file.
